Changing plans and caring hands

For Southcare Stars Gerry and Stan, their morning started normally enough but when Gerry became suddenly unwell, they knew things were going to change. 

The change came in the form of a rare stroke on Gerry’s spinal cord, so rare it only represents 1.25% of all stroke cases. 

She spent over eight weeks in hospital and when returning home, the changes continued. 

“Gerry has ongoing mobility challenges as well as bowel and bladder issues and I have become her carer now,” Stan says. 

“We have been together since we were 15, we met at the Ritz Cinema in London watching Robin Hood in 1961, and got married four years later. So, we know a bit about caring for each other after all these years!” Stan says. 

Southcare visits Stan and Gerry every fortnight to provide domestic and gardening assistance in line with their approved care needs. 

“Southcare has been such a help to us, particularly the ability to access the meal delivery service, as I do all the cooking and now it’s one meal a day I don’t have to prepare, and the meals are delicious,” Stan says.   

“The help around the home and in the garden is also a bonus. Mopping floors, mowing lawns and doing the gardens are all things I find a little uncomfortable on my back, so having the extra hands to help is great. 

“Gerry has various ongoing hospital appointments and we find the travel card is invaluable too as some appointments can be hours more than expected and it means we don’t have the expense of hospital parking charges as well as saving on the cost of fuel,” Stan says. 

Gerry and Stan were referred to Southcare by their friends, as proof that caring hands indeed exist everywhere!